Improved National Procurement Statement Benefits All

New National Procurement Policy Statement Promotes Fairness and Innovation, Says Aspire Community Works

London, 13th February 2025 – Aspire Community Works, a leading organization in tackling labor market disadvantage, has welcomed the Government’s newly published National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) as a significant step towards ensuring that public contracts deliver genuine public value. The NPPS aims to ensure decent working conditions and build a more diverse market.

Starting from February 24th, all contracting authorities will be required to establish procedures that guarantee value for money, not only in financial terms but also in wider socio-economic and environmental benefits. This includes eliminating low-value and poor-quality bids that undercut responsible businesses and drive down standards. The NPPS also emphasizes the importance of co-designing local services, ensuring that procurement is shaped by the needs of communities and delivers greater social and economic value.

Katharine Sutton, Director of Aspire Community Works and the Better For Us campaign, stated, “Aspire has long advocated for the Real Living Wage and Good Work accreditation to be the baseline for public contracts. We welcome the Government’s recognition that fair pay and good working conditions must be ensured as part of the procurement process. Public money should fund good jobs, not bad ones, period.”

The NPPS also acknowledges that procurement can break down barriers to employment, particularly for people facing institutional disadvantage in the labor market, by increasing procurement spend with social enterprises and voluntary organizations. Sutton added, “Now, it’s up to all of us – government, public authorities, businesses, and civil society – to turn policy into practice. If commissioning and procurement are carried out with fairness and innovation, we can build an everyday economy that works for everyone, not just a few.”

For further information, please contact:

Katharine Sutton: 07966 890401; Aspire Community Works: 020 703 4433

Katharine.sutton@aspirecommunityworks.com

www.betterforus.org.uk

Notes to editors:

BetterForUs is a campaign run by Aspire Community Works, an award-winning organization that tackles labor market disadvantage by providing sustainable employment and training opportunities, offering the Real Living Wage as a minimum, and promoting frontline employees’ voice in the design and delivery of services. The majority of its frontline work is obtained through the public procurement process.

The Procurement Act 2023 will come into force on 24th February 2025.

The National Procurement Policy Statement, published today, outlines the Government’s strategic priorities for public procurement and should be considered by strategic leaders and key decision-makers in contracting authorities in England.

BetterforUs is supported by Trust for London, Social Enterprise UK, and Community.